Floor or ceiling plate.



E. E. CLAUSSEN & J. C. HAMMER.

FLOOR 0R CEILING PLATE.

112129609 APPLICATION FILED APR. ll, l916v- Jan. 16

I I 2 SHEETS-SHEET I;

ATTORNEY.

E. E. CLAUSSEN & J. C. HAMMER.

FLOOR 0B CEILING PLATE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. n. 191.6.

Patented Jan. 16,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTORS.

A TTORNEY.

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EDWARD E. CLAUSSEN AND OSEPH C; HAMMER, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

FLOOR on CEILING rnarn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. in, 1917.

Application filed April 11, 1916. Serial No. 90,465. I

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, EDWARD E. CLAUS- SEN and J OSEPH C. HAMMER, citizens of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connectiout, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Floor or Ceiling Plates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to floor or ceiling plates, the object of the invention being to provide an article of thischaracter whlch can be readilyand easily applied, whlch is susceptible of inexpensive manufacture and which is effective in action.

The device is of sectional form, comprising two body members, or as they are some- 7 times known halves connected together for relative movement in transverse directions. That is to say these sections or members are so associated that not only can they relatively approach to and recede from each other but are susceptible of relative lateral movement this to facilitate their application and dismounting under unusual conditions. In the present case both sections or body members are capable of this particular motion. We prefer to resiliently connect the sections, spring means acting satisfactorily in this connection. While such means provides for the necessary movements it may not be required in all cases that the lateral action to which we have alluded need be present, for'as will be obvious there may be instances where it may be only necessary that the sectionsrelatively move towardand from each other.

In the drawings accompanying and form ing part of the present specification we have shown in detail several of the many difien ent forms of embodiment of the invention which will hereinafter be fully described. As will be apparent, we do not restrict ourselves to this disclosure; we may depart therefrom in several respects within the scope of the invention defined by the claims following said description.

Referring to said drawings Figure 1 is a plan View of a floor or ceiling plate involving our invention showing the same closed. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of said floor or ceiling plate. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same showing in dotted lines a pipe, the plate being open to permit its application to or removal from the pipe. Fig. 4 is a view of the plate with the sections open and laterally separated, the plate being conditioned for application to or removal from the pipe shown cross sectionally in said view. Fig. 5 is a front view of the parts shown in Fig. 4i, the plate being open and the sections being laterally separated. Fig. 6 isa front view of the pipe with the plate thereon in the closed position. Figs. 7 and 8 are views corresponding to Fig. 1 of modified forms of the plate. Fig. 9 is a View corresponding to Fig. 2 of the form of plate shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a'detail view of the spring shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Figs. 11 and 12 are plan views partly in section of further forms of the appliance.

Like characters referto like parts throughout the several views.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive the plate therein shown comprises the sections 2 and 3 which are half segments of a circle, the terminal abutting when the plate is closed as shown for illustration in Fig. 1. These sections 2 and 3 in themselves may be practically like those common in existing kinds of floor or ceiling plates. The sections 2 and 3 as shown are connected by a spring such as that denoted in a general way by 4. As represented the spring comprises outwardly curved branches 5. and 6 rigidly connected in some convenient manner to the said sections. As shown said sections are provided with lips 7 and 8 overlying said curved parts 5 and 6 between the ends thereof, the lips pressing the curved parts against customary inside flanges 9 and 10 of said sections. The curved parts 5 and 6 as illustrated conform approximately to the curvature of the central circular opening of the plate. The said curved branches 5 and 6 are connected at their rear end by the bowed spring part 11, the outer end of which is contiguous tothe outer marginal flanges 12 and 13 of the sections 2 and 3, where said flanges abut whenthe plate is closed. It will be evident that the spring 4 is held against movement bodily by the lips 7 and 8. The plate is in the closed position in Fig. 1, as we have already observed, means of a suitable nature being provided to maintain this relation. When the sections are freed from each other, they will be opened or spread as shown in Fig. 3 to pass around a pipe or other part as 13, and when the pipe is received within the open sections the latter will be freed at which point the spring proper or bowed portion 11 will close the sections around the pipe or other suitable part- 13. As represented the branch 5 is provided with a hook 14 to engage a cooperating hook 15 on the adjacent free end of the complemental branch 6 to thus hold the plate closed as shown in said Fig. l. When the hooks are disengaged, and this can be accomplished by a relative movement of the sections 2 and 3, the latter can be swung open to be either taken from or applied to a pipe or other element. If the plate receives within it a pipe, the sections willv be freed and will be automatically closed by the resiliency of the spring proper or resilient portion 11, and when the sections are almost closed, the sections will be manipulated to interlock the hooks 14 and 15 which as illustrated are approximately at right angles to each other. The spring portion 11 it will be clear, crosses the rear ends of the sections 2 and 3 and is connected rigidly with said sections. IVhile the fastening means is integral with the spring portion 11, this as will be clear, is not necessary in all cases.

We have referred simply to the movement of the sections 2 and 3 in the same plane or merely toward or from each other. In Figs.

4 and 5 we have shown how the sections 2 I and 3 are laterally separated to be applied to the pipe 13 under certain conditions, and after the sections are open to inclose the pipe by such combined motions they are closed in exactly the reverse manner, and

when closed or nearly so, the hooks or fastening portions 14 and 15 are snapped together.

In Fig. 7 the plate sections are denoted by 20 and 21. Associated with them is a spring 22 secured to the said sections by the lips 23 and 24. The curved branches or side portions of this spring 22 are connected together by a coiled spring portion 25. As a matter of fact the only difference between the form of device shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive and that illustrated in Fig. 7 is that the side branches of the spring 22 are connected together by a coiled portion as 25 instead of by a single bowed-spring portion 11 as already described.

In Fig. 8 the sections 26 and 27 have connected to them a spring 28 made from fiat stock, the free ends of the spring 28 when the plate of Fig. 8 is closed being furnished with interlocking catch portions or hooks 29. This spring 28 is fastened to the sections 26 and 27 by lips 30 and 31 located near the engaging hooks 29.

In Fig. 11 the sections of the plate are denoted by 32 and 33 and the spring by 34. The spring 34 on its outer surface lies close to the outer marginal flanges 35 and 36 of said sections 32 and 33. Said spring 34 at one end portion thereof is held substantially against the section 32 by the elongated lip 37 overlying the same and extending from the front of said section 32 and toward and short of the back thereof. It will be noted that that end of the split or divided annular spring 34 on the section 32 extends short of the front end of said section, thus providing a socket 38 to receive the adjacent end of said spring 34, which adjacent end extends across the front of the companion section 33. lVhen the projecting portion of the spring 34 is received in the socket 38, the sections 32 and 33 will be held closed as shown in Fig. 11. By relatively spreading said sections 32 and 33, the projecting portion of the spring 34 will be carried out of the socket or catch aperture 38 to thus free the sections in question and to permit of their maximum separation or their relative lateral movement. r

The only difference between the form of the article shown in Fig. 12 over that illustrated in Fig. 11 is in the location of the spring 39 and the further fact that said spring 39 is held in place'adj acent the central opening of the plate instead of near the periphery thereof as is the case in Fig. 11. In said Fig. 12 the halves of the plate are denoted by 40 and 41 respectively. The divided annular spring or resilient band 39 is engaged near the front of the plate by the jecting end of said spring 43 as described in connection with Fig. 11.

In the various forms of the device the spring is connected permanently therewith, serving therefore as a hinge and as a means for constantly swinging the sections toward each other when the plate is opened. In the present case the stock is rolled over the side portions of the spring, and this constitutes a highly advantageous means'for permanently mounting the respective spring. The sections when closed abut at their ends, and the spring extends across the joint at the rear, the rear of the plate being that part which has the spring connecting hinge extending across it, the front of the plate being that part which opens. Obviously, therefore, each section or segment of the plate has a front end and a rear end, the sec tions being connected for swinging movement at their rear ends and their front ends being movable from and toward each other in opening or closing.

What we claim is:

1. A floor or ceiling plate comprising segmental sections adapted when closed to abut at their ends, and a bowed spring extending across one of the butt joints and permanently connected with the sections at opposite sides of the joint which it crosses, said spring acting to apply a'constant closing effect to the sections when they are opened.

\ 2. Afioor or ceiling plate comprising segmental sections adapted when closed to abut at their ends, and a bowed spring extending across one of the butt joints and rigidly connected with the respective sections at opposite sides of the joint which it crosses, said spring serving to hingedly connect the sections and acting to constantly close them when they are opened.

3. A fioor or ceiling plate comprising segmental sections adapted when closed to abut at their ends, and a bowed spring extending across one of the butt joints, the sections having means for connecting the spring therewith at opposite sides of the butt joint which said spring crosses and for retaining the spring in fixed relation with said sections as they are opened, the spring acting as a hinge for the sections and to constantly close them when they are opened.

4. A floor or ceiling plate comprising segmental sections adapted when closed to abut at their ends, and a bowed spring extending across one of the butt oints and permanently connected with the respective sections at opposite sides of the butt joint which it crosses, the spring connecting the sections for swinging movement in transverse directions and acting to constantly close them when they are opened.

5. A floor or ceiling plate comprising segmental sections adapted when closed to abut at their ends, and a bowed spring extending across one of the butt joints, the sections having means for connecting the spring therewith at opposite sides of the butt joint which it crosses and for retaining the spring in fixed relation with said sections as they are opened, the spring acting as a hinge for the sections and to constantly close them when they are opened, said spring extending from the free end of one of the sections and being adapted to engage the other section to hold the two sections closed.

6. A floor or ceiling plate comprising segmental sections adapted when closed to abut at their ends, the central opening of the plate having an annular flange around it, and a divided spring band extending across one of the butt joints, said sections having lips at their forward ends, the lips engaging over the forward portions of the band to hold the same permanently in place, one said forward portion of said band extending short of the corresponding portion of its section and the other forward portion of the band extending beyond the forward-part of its section, said extended portion being adapted to enter the space between the lip and flange of its complemental section.

7 A floor or ceiling plate comprising segmental'sections adapted when closed to abut at their ends, and a bowed spring hinging the sections together and crossing one of the butt joints of the plate.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of'two witnesses.

EDWARD E. CLAUSSEN. JOSEPH C. HAMMER.

Witnesses L. L. MARKEL, HEATH SUTHERLAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

